BANGKOK, TH
20.40 November 13th, 2024

NO. 2567.01

Subject: On Discipline, Stress, and the Pursuit of Fitness/p>

Dear Readers,

I try to use the B-word as sparingly as possible, but weight loss is a bitch I do not quite understand why it is so unbelievably hard to achieve. Of course, I know it’s Biology, but from a psychological point of view, I don’t understand why self-control is so difficult. Discipline, determination, grit, willpower... these are all fancy words essentially describing the same thing: restricting one’s thoughts and actions to do, or not do, something against one’s natural desires. For those gentlemen of age who have attempted this exercise, I’m sure you understand. It feels natural to resist, yet there’s something in the mind that sets off an alarm when one breaks one’s own resolve. For these reasons, I have to say, I’m trying my Gluteus Maximus off to reduce that adipose tissue of mine.

I forgot to mention at the beginning—this letter has no educational purpose whatsoever. It is simply for my own joy to rant about my struggles. The modern era of work and study in stressful environments is not a healthy one for humans. Sure, our infrastructure and public health systems are far better than in the past. However, the modern stressors of non-stop work, legal issues, financial pressures, and relationship struggles cannot be fixed with mere exercise—a run, a workout, or even a bash on the head—despite how much one might desperately want them to. Although not all can be blamed on this unhealthy and unholy amount of stress faced by modern-day humans, much of it does stem from these factors.

Reducing stress is important. One must decisively cut it out and seek to destroy it at its source. Find the root causes and diminish them. You can find advice on this online. I am simply here to share my experiences and my personal struggles—not to educate.

In conclusion, eat less, exercise more, and sleep more. Try to manage all of that while earning a living. Ask ChatGPT for help; it's probably smarter than I am. I’ll share the results of my water fast later—I'm planning to do it for at least three days.